Industries & Supply Chains

Librarian: Shaun Bennett

Jump to:

 

Identifying an Industry

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (updated every 5 years) and Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) (been the same since 1987) codes are a standardized classification of various industries in North America, created by the United States government. 

The benefit to these codes is that you can use them in most library databases to find information about that specific industry. 

Industry & Supply Chain Reports

  • IBISWorld contains reports for most industries, and utilizes the NAICS code system. Note: smaller industries may not be represented, so it is recommended to search at a wide level before trying to drill down. A report on thermoforming may not exist, but plastic manufacturing likely does.
  • Procurement IQ has supply chain information for various industries. Similar to IBISWorld, searching at a wider level can give results. 
  • Business Source Complete has a series of industry-level reports, under the “Industry Profiles” link on the bottom left of the landing page. 
  • Mintel Reports focuses on the consumer side, with survey-backed reports for most industries. Going deeper into the "Explore Demographics" section allows fine-grain control of the questions and the answering demographic.
  • DataAxle is an easy to use database with geographically-based industry information. For example, you could limit to a specific NAICS or SIC code in a geographic area, showing how many of a specific industry are in an area. This is a NC Live resource, so anyone in North Carolina with a public library card can access it.
  •  ESRI’s Business Analyst Online similar to DataAxle, has geographically-based industry information that limits. Note: you’ll need to sign up for an ArcGIS account before using this database.
  • The Statistical Abstract of the United States has large-scale industry and population statistics. Look for "Section 15: Business Enterprise."
  • IHSConnect offers import and export data for countries around the world; click on "Economics" on the top left and look under the "Data Browser" heading for data categories

Sources for Industry Statistics & Import/Export Data

  • ESRI’s Business Analyst Online contains geographically-based data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The information can be found under the Reports -> Build a Report functionality, and you can search for variables within those menus. Note: you'll need to sign up for an ArcGIS account. 
  • USATrade Online is the US Government's portal for high-level import and export data, sorted by commodity and/or NAICS. Keep in mind that this is only for the United States, but it's incredibly useful if you're looking for what types of goods are being imported/exported to the United States. It requires a login, but is completely free to register for and use.
  • ImportGenius offers detailed bill-of-lading reports by port, shipper, and many other variables for the United States and a dozen other countries. To get access, you must first sign up on campus at the link. Once you have a login and password, you can access ImportGenius off-campus at this link. 

Additional resources

Finding Articles

  • Business Source Complete  is a great place to start for scholarly and trade publications. 
  • The ABI/INFORM Collection offers popular articles, trade journals, and blog posts on business & management topics. ABI/INFORM Collection contains ads for market reports. These can be removed by clicking on the “Exclude Wire Feeds” button on the left side of the search results.
  • Journal List: search for journal titles related to supply chain or industry topics such as manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and procurement, by using the Libraries' Journal List.

Specialized Supply Chain Resources

  • ThomasNet is a directory of suppliers, which allows comparison between 2-5 different manufacturers.
  • Procurement IQ has reports on indirect purchasing lines. The reports range from 15-20 pages (updated at least 1-3 times per year), covering product/service pricing dynamics, product characteristics that affect the purchasing decision, supplier benchmarking and supply chain risks, and negotiation questions and tactics. 
  • The Supply Chain Resource Cooperative (SCRC) serves as a thought leader in the supply chain industry; documenting and disseminating new supply chain management knowledge to help companies, practitioners, and students. Available resources from the SCRC include interviews and discussions with experts and practitioners in the field. 
  • The Bloomberg Terminal on the 9th floor of the D. H. Hill Jr. Library has information on commodities, futures, imports, and exports and full access to the Bloomberg Market Concepts certification course. Access is restricted to NC State faculty, students, and staff.